Friends
by Amagake
Summary: Kagura is mysteriously brought back to life. What shall she find with the people she left behind?


Yep, my first fan fiction! I'm rather proud of it, from a writing stand point. It's defiantly one of my best stories (not to mention it's one of the only stories I've actually ever finished...) Anyway, more to come (probably KaguraxSesshomaru romances... XD) and they'll probably be written around 12 at night, just like this one. R&R and enjoy!

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The wind caressed her face, winding its way into her hair and blowing it into a tangled mass at the base of her neck. Kagura didn't reject the wind, it was a part of her, just as much as her crimson eyes or her disheveled hair. Kagura could feel the heat of the sun, but she didn't mind that either. It warmed her limbs, feeling like a warm bath after visiting one of the snow caps that graced the tips of the majestic mountains of Japan. Kagura could even smell the sweet scent of flowers, something she hadn't been able to do for a very long time.

The scent raised many questions. For the longest time, she had drifted from place to place, one with the wind she loved, finally free. Now she could smell again. And feel. She felt like she had been stabbed through the heart – oh, so magnificent to have a heart! – which wasn't exactly a new experience. _Odd... _Kagura reflected _I thought I was dead..._ Oh well, questions of mortality aside, she might as well try for moving a bit. If she was alive, she might as well take advantage of it.

Kagura opened her eyes, and immediately regretted the maneuver. The sun lanced into her eyes, making her feel like she had set them on fire. Naturally, she immediately snapped them closed again. Well, that had answered one question. She had never felt pain when she was dead. Speaking of pain, the ache in her back seemed to be receding. _Next move, get up._ Her mind fully set upon achieving her goal, Kagura gritted her teeth, and managed to battle her way into a sitting position. _NOW I can open my eyes._ Which she promptly did. As she examined the field where she found herself, her first thought was, _Now I KNOW I'm dreaming. Except you can't dream when you're dead._ This was the same field where she died. This field brought back its own contingent of memories. Like memories of Sesshomaru. She didn't particularly mind these recollections, but after so recently finding that she wasn't dead, she wished she could concentrate on more important questions. Like _Why I am not dead?_ For she had most certainly died.

Kagura tugged on her kimono, not in the least surprised that she was wearing it, nor that she had her fan tucked into her sash. After all, whatever madness had brought her back to life might as well have supplied her with her old accoutrements. _I'll think about this more later. For now, I'm getting out of here. _This decided, she reached up to pluck one of her feathers from her hair. Unfortunately, neither of them was present. _Dang! What happened to them?_ Kagura mentally cussed at the unfairness of relieving her of her normal means of transport. _Oh well, I can just travel by foot until I can find another suitable feather to enchant. Still, it's irritating that it's gone. _With that final thought, Kagura set off on foot in the general direction of Kaede's village.

"Yo. Do'ya know where Inu-Yasha is?" Kagura winced mentally at the shocked, and then guarded, look on the kid's face. He had better not try to lie to her. She could smell the white-haired hanyou's scent all over the place. "Don't mess with me, kid," she cautioned. The kid still didn't look very happy, and shrugged one shoulder. _Oi... Kids these days. _Kagura sighed. It looked like she was going to have to do this the hard way. _Tracking Inu-Yasha. Something I have done far too often. Well, at least I'm not trying kill him this time._

Kagura had to track several scent trails before she found the right one. _Ahh... The treasure at the end of the path, _she smirked to herself.Inu-Yasha was lounging in the top branch of an oak tree overlooking the rice fields, which were empty this early in the morning.

"Hey, Inu-Yasha. Long time, no see." He turned on the first syllable.

"K-Kagura?" Perfect. He hadn't even recognized her scent. She didn't smell like Naraku anymore. Thank goodness. "What... Why... How...?!" The shocked look on his face was also a definite plus for her covert approach.

Kagura shrugged a shoulder, keeping her face static. "I don't know. How long's it been?"

"Since you died? Two years. How..." She interrupted him before he could finish.

"I already said I didn't know. Yeesh." Only two years. Huh. It had felt like more. _Rin would still be alive then. Wait, why am I thinking about Sesshomaru's group?! Still... I wonder how he's doing... _Kagura was dragged from her reverie by Inu-Yasha's hand descending upon her shoulder.

"You want breakfast? He questioned. "Everyone's probably up by now, and they'll want to know about you being alive."

_Why would they care? _Kagura wondered, but she didn't voice her question. Instead, she just shrugged, allowing herself to be led into the village.

Although the food was good, what made that breakfast the best of Kagura's life was the fact that everyone seemed genuinely glad to see her. Sango asked after her health, Miroku interrogated her on what had happened after she had died, and Kagome offered her seconds. By the end of the meal, Kagura found herself marveling on the thought that was slowing overtaking her consciousness: _I have friends. How utterly amazing. _Kagura smiled to herself. _I have friends, and I love it. _


End file.
